Yes high heat will affect the starter. Its dying man.
Does the solenoid engage?  It could be your solenoid if
it doesn't push out the starter gear.  I don't know if
these are available separately.  Either way replacement
is the only cure.  Sometime the starter will stop working
at normal temps.  I was implying that you could look
elsewhere for other faults, but that essentially the
fault is with the Starter/Solenoid.  (I forgot to mention
the solenoid at first I know)

Another band-aid is to put a heat shied on your starter.
Keep it from getting hot.  This may get you down the
road for quite a bit longer.

But having to hit your starter is a classic symptom of
failing part.  I've experienced this on my beetles as
well as my long-dead Cavalier.

Dean

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shawn.Luft@Completions.Bombardier.com
> [mailto:Shawn.Luft@Completions.Bombardier.com]
> Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 10:36 AM
> To: Johnson, Dean G
> Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> Subject: RE: Starter doesn't work on long trips
>
>
>
>
> Hmm, you see I doubt it's a lack of current because the
> starter works 99.9%
> of the time.. however when I drive for 3-4 hours or more then
> it doesn't
> re-start.  Also because it functions perfectly time and time
> again during
> 'normal' usage it makes me think it doesn't need replacing.
>
> I was thinking that a component was somehow getting affected
> by high heat,
> and when I wack the starter with a brick it was somehow freeing up the
> funny problems.  D'oh.  If it was manual I could let it go, but it's
> automatic and no starter means no start!
>
> Thanks for the suggestions.  I'm still hopnig to find those
> ghosts however.
> Uhm is it possible there are brushes on the way out or
> something similar?
> I suppose I need to pull it off anyways and take a look but I
> thought it
> may be a common problem that people know how to remedy.
>
> - Shawn.
>
>
>
>